Patterning Options
You can use the Options tab to set the following options while patterning an NC sequence:
• Manufacturing Leader—Indicates the manufacturing leader with the number 1 as the first to be manufactured in a pattern.
• Pattern Order—Specifies a patterning order.
◦ Reverse Order—Reverses the pattern order for the tool path output starting with the original manufacturing leader as the last tool path in the CL output until tool paths for all pattern members are output.
◦ Alternate Rows—The manufacturing leader is the first tool path in the CL output. CL data for the remaining members is in the first row. CL data is output in reverse order for the next increment in the second row.
CL data for the pattern is generated in the pattern order for the first increment in the second pattern direction, in the reverse order for the second increment of the second pattern direction, in the pattern order for the third increment in the second pattern direction, and so on until the pattern is traversed.
◦ Alternate Direction—The manufacturing leader is the first tool path in the CL output. CL data for the remaining members is generated with the second direction being treated as the first direction until tool paths for all pattern members are generated.
CL data for the pattern is generated with the second direction being treated as the first direction until tool paths for all pattern members are generated.
• Shortest Distance—Uses the shortest distance between pattern members to determine the manufacturing order.
◦ Shared Orientation—Orders sequentially the 4-, or 5-axis tool paths with a common Z-axis orientation before the next closest tool path in the pattern is patterned. This option is not set by default and is active only for 4- and 5-axis workcells.
• Pick Order—Defines your own manufacturing order by your selection of pattern members in the graphics window.
• Fixture Offsets—Defines a fixture offset for the pattern.
◦ Initial register—Sets the initial register for the fixture offset. If the FIXT_OFFSET_REG parameter value is specified for a pattern member, this value is not output in the pattern tool path. However, this value is displayed in the CL data only when an individual member toolpath is output. The minimum value is 1.
◦ Increment—Sets an increment for the fixture offset. The default and minimum value is 1.
• Subroutine Output—Defines the type of subroutine programming. The tool path to be duplicated is placed as a subroutine macro at the beginning of the CL file. The macro is then called in the main body of the CL file for each pattern feature.
◦ Absolute—Outputs the CL data for the subroutine in absolute mode
◦ Incremental—Outputs the MODE/INCR and MODE/ABSOL commands for each NC sequence that is placed in a subroutine.
◦ Multax—Outputs the transformed CL data rather than outputting Rotate Table commands.
Additionally, for axis-based patterns, you can click Follow axis rotation to rotate pattern members in the rotation plane to follow the axis rotation. By clearing this option, you can specify an alternative origin to represent the center of the leader.